The invention relates to an apparatus for the inspection of baggage and similar articles, in which the radiation of an X-Ray flash generator penetrates the object to be inspected, and produces therefrom a shadow image on a fluorescent screen, which is scanned by a television camera, with the image signals produced thereby being stored in a suitable memory, from which the image signals are supplied to a television monitor which is operative to reproduce the stored image.
An apparatus of this general type is known, for example, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,035. Baggage inspection systems of generally corresponding design have already proven very successful at many airports. The principle of short-duration fluoroscopy and production of a shadow image, utilizing an X-ray flash, and the principle of the temporarily unrestricted observation possibilities of the stored image, permits a reasonably reliable inspection, and at the same time assures that the inspection will be harmless to the objects being inspected, particularly where film materials and the like, contained in the inspected objects, are involved.
The present terrorist situation and the hectic nature of peak operation periods during clearance of passengers and inspection of their hand baggage, which can be expected to continually increase, results in constant endeavors to develop improvements in existing inspection systems. Not only is the reliability of the system a major problem, but also the desirability, if not necessity, to achieve the greatest possible passenger traffic flow. At the same time the quality of the inspection cannot be adversely affected if the desired objectives are to be achieved.